Automatic switch



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. MGL. ABERNETHY. AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

No. 463,412. Patented Nov. 17,1891.

WITNESSES:

4; ATTORNEYS (No Model.)

H. MGL. ABERNETHY.

AUTOMATIG SWITGH- Patented Nov. 17, 1891.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES:

//V VE IV 70/? wa e/ ATTORA/EN (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

H. McL. ABERNETHY.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

No. 463,412. Patented Nov. 17, 1891.

WITNESSES: ME I n BY I I ATTORNEYS THE mm: ruins cm, PHDYO-LIYHD., wnsmuarou. n4 1:

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. H. McL. ABERNETHY. AUTOMATIC SWITGH Patented Nov. 17

wag/1w 70/? may M rm/mm WITNESSES;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY MOLEAN ABERNETHY, OF NEVARK, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HUGH II. ABERNETHY, JR, OF JERSEY CITY, NElV JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 463,412, dated November 17, 1891. Application filed March 28, 1891 'Serial No. 386,843. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY MCLEAN Anna NETHY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, Ohio, have invented an Improved Automatic Switch, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists'in certain improve ments in the construction of automatic switch mechanism and switch-stands for railways, designed mainly with the view of enabling cars to be moved from a siding onto the main track and backed onto the main track past the switch, or, on the other hand, to be run past the switch on the main line and backed down onto the siding by one setting of the switch.

A further object of my invention is to so construct the switch mechanism as that the accidental dropping of a bolt or other such article between the movable operating parts of the switch will not entail accidents to cars or trains passing the switch.

,In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of the switch mechanism, showing the switch with the main track open and the siding closed. Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan view showing the siding open. Figs. 3 and at are vertical sectional views illustrating the switch stand and lever in different positions. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are views of the switch mechanism with the parts in diiferent positions. Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 1 2, Fig. 1. Figs. 9 and 10 are views of a modification; and Fig. 11 is a transverse section on the line 4, Fig. 0.

A A are the main rails, and B B are the siding-rails. Thesiding-rail B has a fixed point, while the main rail A has at the siding a movable point P. The siding-rail B is made a continuation of the main rail A beyond the switch, and this through the medium of a railsection Z2, which is made yielding, as hereinafter described, but which will not be herein referred to as movable, because that term will be used in this specification with reference only to the operative parts of the switch mechanism intentionally moved to set the switch.

The main rail A is broken or sectioned adjacent to the fixed point of the siding-rail B by two j0inted sections a to. These sections are such that they may be placed, as

shown in Fig. 1, to form a continuouslystraight rail for the main track or set at the D, which may be in the form of a casting. 6

The section a of the main rail has bolted to ita guard-rail E, with an intermediate fillingpiece 6. When the main track is opened, as shown in Fig. 1, this guard-rail is adapted to bear against or come close to the inside of the fixed point of the siding-rail B. The movable sections a a of the main rail are connected through this guard-rail and a link f wlth a lever F, pivoted at f to asuitable foundat on and connected at its opposite end through a rod R with the operating-lever of the switch-stand. The movable point P of the main rail A is connected to this lever F on the opposite side of the pivot f from that to which is connected the movable section a of the main railA. In the present instance this point P is connected to the lever F through the medium of a guard-arm G,bearing at its outer end normally against a fixed stop 9 and pivoted to a slide or link H, which in turn is pivoted at h to the lever F. Thus when the lever F is operated by the switchstand lever through the rod R the movable pointP and the sections a a. will be moved simultaneously. It the lever F be moved in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, the pointP will be moved to close the siding and make the main rail A continuous, and simultaneously the jointed sections a a will be moved to the straightened position shown in Fig. 1. 0

On the other hand, if the lever F be moved in the opposite direction the point P and sections to a will be moved to open the siding and close the main track, as shown in Fig. 2.

The preferred form of switch-stand is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, S being the fixed stand,and L the operating-lever pivoted at l to the fixed stand. This lever L is in two parts,with a yielding connection between the two. The yielding part Z of the lever is connected to the rod R and to the signal-post R. The yielding connection with the main body of the lever L is through the medium of a spring 10 around a curved bolt 71:, carried by the yielding part I. This spring It; is interposed between the back of the main body of the switch-stand lever and the head of the curved rod or bolt k. The upperpart of the operating-lever L may be provided with a pivoted hasp m to engage with staples m at opposite ends of the sector .9 of the switchstand, so that the lever L may be locked in either of its extreme positions with the switch set in either of its two desired positions. I do not, however,wish to restrict myself to this special construction of switclrstandmor do I claim it herein, as it forms the subject of a separate application for a patent filed by me August 25, 1891, under Serial No. 403,694. It now there be on the siding cars which it is desired to run onto the main track, the switch may be set to the position shown in Fig. 1. The cars are now run onto the main track from the siding, although the parts are set with the siding closed and the main track open, for the flanges of the wheels running upon the rail B will act upon the guard-rail E to bring the sections a a, to the positions shown in Fig. 2, and the flanges of the wheels running upon the rail A will simply push the movable pointP open. A spring 5 around a bolt carried by the rail B and passing through an opening in the guard-rail E so as to bear against the latter will return the guard-rail and consequently the sections a a to the positions shown in Fig. 1 as quickly as they are relieved from the flanges ot' the carwheels. Similarly a spring 2 around a bolt carried by the movable point P and passing through the rail-section b causes the point P to return to its position in Fig. 1 after the car-wheels have passed. \Vhen the cars have thus been moved onto the main line, the main track will be found open and the train can be moved down the latter past the switch without further operation of the latter.

In order the better to insure the closing of the switch-point P again toits position shown in Fig. 1 after the passage of the car, the guard-arm G comes into use. Supposing the parts to be in the positions illustrated in Fig. 1 and the point- P to be pushed open by the flanges of the car-wheels passing from the siding onto the main track, this guard-arm will be moved to the position shown in Fig. 5, with its free end against the main rail A, so that the flanges of the passing wheels will then strike this free end of the guard-arm G- and close the switch-point P again, even should the spring 2 fail to operate. If, on the other hand, cars on the main track to the left of the switch have to be brought past the switch and back onto the siding, the switch may be set to the position shown in Fig. 2. Then the cars coming in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, will strike the rai1-sectiou a, and, owing to the yielding connection between the two parts of the switclrstand lever L, Figs. 3

and 4, before described, the rail-sections a a will be moved to their straightened positions, Fig. 1, by the flanges of the car-wheels, and at the same time the switch-point P will be moved to the closed position shown in Fig. 1; but as soon as the cars have passed and gone beyond the switch on the main track the point P and rail-sections a a will return to their positions (illustrated in Fig. 2) with the siding open, so that the cars can be then run onto the siding without further operation of the switch.

In order to provide against accidents which might otherwise arise through the dropping of a bolt between the point P and the adjacent rail, I make the rail-section b yielding, so as to swing to a limited extent from the end an, and I may also make the rear end of the point P where it joins the main rail A yielding to a limited extent. The end of the section 1) adjacent to the rail B has atflxed to it through an intermediate filling-piece a guard-point b, and through this filling-piece and point, as well as through the section I) and the rear end of the point P, there passes freely a bolt 7, headed at its opposite ends and having interposed between its heads and the section b and the point P springs 3 and at. A guide and stop bar 6, bolted at opposite ends to the ties, may be passed through slots in the rail-section B and the point P. If new it should happen that when the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 2 a bolt or similar article should accidentally be dropped between the pointP and the rail-section b and the switch-stand lever be operated then, so as to close the siding and throw the main track open, the parts would assume the positions illustrated in Fig. 5, the point P being kept open by the obstructing-bolt. It now a train should come on the main track in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 5, the flanges ot' the car-wheels would come in contact with the free end of the guard-arm G, so as to tend to close the point P, and owing to the yielding of the spring 3, and consequently ot' the railsection b, the point P would be pushed over to the position shown in Fig. 7 to preserve the continuity of the main track. Similarly it a train be coming on the main track from the opposite direction from that pointed out by the arrow in Fig. 5, the point P would be pushed over by the flanges of the car-wheels, owing to the yielding of the rail-section b, as shown in Fig. 7.

I may provide a guard-arm G, connected by a curved link g to the rear end of the point P, so that it through the dropping of a bolt between the point P and the rail-section I) the parts should get into the positions illustrated in Fig. 6 and a train be coming on the main track in the direction of the arrow shown in that figure the flanges of the wheels running upon the rail A wiltcome into contact with the guard G, and in pushing it away from the rail A will restore the rear end of the point P to its proper position, as shown in Fig. 7.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 9, 10, and 11 Ihave, however, dispensed with the guard-arm G for the back end of the point P, and instead of making the rail-section a of the full width of the rail 1 have made it onethird less in width and have filled in the remainder and the space between the inner end of this rail-section a and the rail A with a part of the backing-rail D, corresponding with the backing-rail D in the construction already described. This supporting or backing rail, as I have said, may be a casting. As will be seen on reference to Fig. 11, I make the top of this section a in this modification somewhat lower than the adjoining part of the rail D in order that the wheels may run upon the rail D and not upon the sectiona. Thus if the parts of the switch be in the positions corresponding with those shown in Fig. 2that is, with the siding open and the train coming on the main line in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2the flanges of the car-wheels coming into contact with the section a will the more easily move the sections a and a over to their straightened positions, since in the construction shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 11 the section a does not have to bear the Weight of the car. In order to strengthen this rail-section a, however, I prefer to make it wider on the under side, as illustrated in Fig. 11. I prefer to pivot the rear end of this section a to the rail D, as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, and to guide the movement of this section by means of bolts 01, uniting the fixed point of the rail B to the rail D. A fishplate may be provided to join this section to the inset partof the rail D. I prefer to mount beneath these parts a suitable boiler-plate foundation 0.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 9, 10, and 11 I have shown how the guard-rail E may be united to the rail-section a with a yielding connection in order to enable the switch to operate properly, even though a bolt or other obstacle be dropped in between the fixed point of the rail B and the guardrail E or sections a or a. Thus if a bolt or similar article be dropped in between the fixed point of the rail B and the guard-rail E while the siding is open and a train be coming on the main line toward the switch -in a direction corresponding with that indicated by the arrow, Fig. 2, the sections a a when struck by the flanges of the carwheels will come to their straightened position shown in Fig. 10, notwithstanding the presence of the bolt or other article between the guardrail E and the rail B, because the springs 8 interposed between the guard-rail E and the heads of the uniting-bolts 9 will permit the guard-rail E and section a to spreadapart to the limited extent necessary. Similarly, if a train be coming down the siding onto the main track when the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 9, these springs 8 will permit the flanges of the wheels running on the rail 13 to push the guard-rail E over, even if there illustrated for sake of simplicity, it being the intention that they shall be in practice much shorter and inclosed, as is the custom in the construction of spring-rail frogs. At the same time I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to restrict myself to any special construction or arrangement'of springs to permit the operative parts of the switch to yield in case of a bolt or other article getting in between the points and rail-sections, nor do I- wish to restrict myself to the specific forms .of the parts shown.

I claim as my invention- 1. A railway-switch having main and siding rails, a fixed point for one of the siding-rails, movable sections of the adjacent main rail, and a movable pointon the other main rail, substantially as described.

2. A railway-switch having main and siding rails, a fixed point for one of the siding-rails, movable sections of the adjacent main rail, a guard-rail on the other side of the said fixed siding-point and connected to the said movable sections', and with a movable point for the other main rail, substantially as described.

3. A railway-switch having main and siding rails, a fixed point forone of the siding-rails, movable sections on the adjacent main rail,

-a backing-rail for the said sections, and a guard-rail connected to and moving with the said movable sections, in combination with a movable point for the other main rail.

4. A railway-switch having main and siding rails, a fixed point for one of the siding-rails, movable sections of the adjacent main rail, a movable point on the other main rail, a switchstand lever, connecting-rod, and a lever between the rails, connected to the sections and point to operate them simultaneously.

5. A railway-switch having main and siding rails, a fixed point for one of the siding-rails,

movable sections of the adjacent main rail, a movable guard-rail connected to the said sections, a movable point for the other main rail, and a lever controlled from the switchstand and connected to the said guardrail and movable point, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination of the main and siding rails of a switch, one of the siding-rails having a fixed point and the adjacent main rail having movable sections, while the other main rail has a movable point, with a guard-rail connected to and moving with the said .sections, a pivoted lever between the rails and connected at the. end of the guard-rail, and with a guard-arm connecting the other arm of the lever with the movable point, all snbstantially as described.

7. The combination of a switch-point with an adjacent sectioned rail and springs combined with the latter to allow it to yield when a bolt or other article has been interposed, substantially as described.

8. The combination of main and siding rails with a movable point and yielding section in the rail adjacent to the point, with a pivoted guard-arm connected to the point and adapted to bear against the fixed rail approaching said movable point, substantially as described.

9. The combination of main and siding rails, one of the siding-rails having a fixed point and the adjacent main rail having movable sections, with a guard-rail adapted to bear against the opposite side of the said fixed 

